Darius Achaemenes Isdal
Darius Achaemenes Isdal (ダリウス アチャエメネス イスダル, Dariusu Achaemenesu Isudaru) is the father of Zander Isdal and Crow Freyr, as well as four other children: twins Zabel and Xero, Zane and one other unidentifed brother. A man of prestigious status, Darius holds several titles, most notably as the King of Rixa (リックサの王, Rikkusa no ō), a military controlled city within the Kingdom of Bellum. He is also the chief military officer, holding the rank of Justiciar (司法長官, Shihō Chōkan), and directs the city's central police force, known as Sheriffs, a rank assigned to each of his children. A seasoned mage and highly decorated battle commander, Darius rules Rixa with a strong sense of justice and has brought his beloved city from the brink of collapse to its former glory. He commands the powerful Prism Flare, a much more evolved version of Rainbow Fire, and wields it with master proficiency. Through this magic, he was able to overthrow the former corrupt government and establish a new rule where his city has currently thrived on. Appearance One look at Darius and it would be no wonder that he was able to overthrow the corrupt government of Rixa. His appearance is that of strength, purpose and unyielding focus. A tall man with strong chiseled features, bronzed skin and closely cropped brown hair, Darius maintains an ever present stern look on his face, with such intensity hidden behind his black eyes. A simple glare is enough to cause others to prespire in fear or break their spirit. To complete the aging patriarch, Darius also sports a neatly trimmed mustache that helps accentuate his regal status. Any signs of aging have been irradicated through constant grooming and treatment, as to maintain the appearance of youth and eliminate any look of weakness. As the central political and military figure in Rixa, Darius must, at all times, present himself in a professional manner befitting of his status. When presenting himself as the King, he's always seen dressed in finely pressed suits, robes or capes with fur lining, of various earth tone colors. Any other attire would be considered sloppy or ill-mannered for such an important person . When dressed for military service, Darius wears primarily black. What this signifies is not known, but its been theorized that it helps cement a fearful persona and form of intimidation when present on the battlefield. The uniform itself appears like armor, several pieces of thin but durable material sewn together in an easily flexible suit. Over his torso, he wears another larger piece withe white piping around the edges and coming down in rows of three over larger shoulder pieces that jut out. Around his waist are two metal bands that hold most of the layered materials together, serving as a sort of sash. A longer cloth extends from his waist to his shins that are the same black color as the rest of his uniform and end in a series of white daggers that he can use as weapons if need be. His pants appear tucked into black boots, layered with several white plates to provide additional damage when attacking. Its also a similar appearance for his gloves, as well. Underneath his uniform, is a tough and extremely muscular frame hardened through decades of service and training. He's known to discard the clothing over his torse, except for his gloves, when facing truly formidable opponents. This shedding appears to come with a psychological shift as he becomes much more ruthless when he does so. Personality The embodiment of righteousness, Darius is a man with an unwavering sense of justice and conviction who believes in the laws of his land, and follows those laws to the letter. His strong sense of duty also translates to holding those who serve under him to the same standard. Darius does not tolerate insubordination or betrayal, and will lash out against those who have committed such atrocities. As a military leader, he's viewed as a seasoned soldier, highly disciplined, absolutely fearless in the face of adversity and a brilliant strategist. He's a highly respected individual, both for his military career and political standing, among his city and even his enemies who tread with the utmost care when negotiating with him. There are no known individuals within the city, or even the kingdom of Bellum, who question him. His strict military ubringing translates to him coming off as cold, preferring to maintain a more methodical and calculated approach than show any emotions. This allows him to remain focused on the tasks at hand, always completing the missions he's set for himself. When battling, Darius is known as a ruthless fighter, greatly feared for his power and experience. During these times, he sheds away some of his clothing and engages his enemies directly instead of sending troops. He remains absolutely calm and collected, never showing signs of distress or worry. He can become quite aggressive, especially towards criminals or enemies of the city, and does not tolerate cruelty or any form of injustice to his citizens or soldiers. Darius is not above stepping into the front lines if he sees his soldiers suffering casualties to ensure the battle ends quicker. This marks the first time a king of Rixa will openly place himself in danger to protect his own soldiers. What Darius does, he does for his people and his city. Regardless of his methods and approach, the safety of every citizen of Rixa is his highest priority. This was one of the main reasons he overthrew the corrupt government and replaced them as the leading figure. He could see his people suffering under the former rule and criminal organizations running rampant. When he discovered that the governing body were secretly working with these criminals to turn profits, as well as persuade the public to continue voting for them, Darius was overwhelmed with emotion for the first time in a long time and fought against them. Because of his career and his social standing with the city, its citizens openly welcomed the new regime, and its military immediately secured him as their new ruler. He's proven to be a benevolent leader and has brought about peace and prosperity to Rixa. Also, with his level of power and the army he controls, neighboring cities have remained on good terms with him, bringing tremendous business and wealth to Rixa. His relationship with his children is viewed as a bit strained due to his stern, sometimes harsh, treatment of them. Crow viewed him as an obsessed man who put others above his own children and raised them as nothing more than soldiers. Their verbal disputes resulted in the exile of Crow, something that proved heartbreaking even to Darius. Zander and his other brothers seemed much more understanding of his role and duties to the city, even they didn't fully appreciate his absence at times. Nevertheless, Darius greatly cares for his children as any concerned parent would, and deep down, regrets not being there for them as they would've wanted. But building a better future for his city also means building a better future for his children, which is ultimately what he hopes his children would understand one day. History Darius Alchaemenes Isdal was born in Rixa, a city within the Kingdom of Bellum, known to be located in the middle of several warring cities for majority rule of the land and its resources. Even as a child, Darius had a strong sense of justice and when he became of age, enlisted in the military to serve his city. When it was discovered that Darius possessed extraordinary levels of power and a brilliant strategic mind, he was appointed as commander and brought about a turning tide in their battles. These neighboring cities found themselves pushed back and losing ground, and eventually Rixa regained the title as governing city within the region. With the wars brought to an end, Darius focused his attention to serving his people and the ruling government body appointed him as Justiciar, a title rarely given and with the authority to capture, judge and sentence any criminals he captured. He controlled the military with unyielding respect and supervised their movements in protecting the city. During these peaceful times, Darius met and married a woman from Rixa, having six sons, two of which were Zander Isdal and Crow Freyr, though the latter was known as Xerxes Isdal at the time. At first it appeared as though Rixa would prosper with his accomplishments, but that would prove false. As with most who gain new power, the ruling body found themselves more concerned with their personal wealth versus the wealth of the people. These political figures formed secret alliances with several members of the organized crime in an elaborate plan to extort wealth from the people while still remaining in power. These criminals would incite chaos and fear in strategic areas where the ruling body would come in and battle them, giving off the false perception that the government was looking out for them. In exchange, criminal bosses were given money from increased revenue due to tax hikes to repair damages done. It would become a vicious cycle where both parties would gain from each other. Darius appointed his sons, all of which were talented mages and strong individuals, as Sheriffs to aid him in squashing the increased violence. When Darius discovered the corruption, he immediately protested, charging that these members who were elected to benefit the citizens of Rixa and not their own pockets. Realizing that Darius would never go along with their plans, nor turn his head the other way, they plotted to eliminate the old soldier. This would ultimately prove their undoing. During an attempt on his life, Darius lashed out and destroyed several criminal groups with his own power, as well members of the government who were present. Knowing that the citizens could never prosper under these conditions, he and his sons openly rebelled in a civil war, Darius immediately seizing control of the military due to his standing, and they fought against the criminals and corrupt government. They proved successful and Darius was appointed the king and ruling figure of Rixa, something that was widely accepted throughout the city. With Darius leading the city, Rixa found itself healing from its previous wounds and bringing itself back from the brink of collapse. He negotiated new trade routes that helps bring back wealth and employment to the city, established a better working class and eased taxes with the new revenue being brought it from increased trade. Even though stern, citizens still viewed him as a benevolent leader who's ultimate goal was the prosperity of Rixa. It is unknown what the subject was, but at some point in the recent past, Darius and Crow had a heated argument where the older son was banished from the city. This caused a rift between Zander and his father, who saw it as an extreme sentence and that Darius would always view them as soldiers and not sons. This caused Zander to leave the city, as well, hoping to one day be reunited with his older brother. Plot *A World Without Music (Mentioned) Magic & Abilities Darius is considered one of the most experienced mages throughout the land, with equally impressive physical status even for his age. Possessing far above normal levels in strength, speed and durability, he can fight perfectly in close quarter combat, with balanced offense and defense. His magical power is also staggering, able to attack from any range, and is widely known as a powerful combatant. Physical Abilities Immense Strength: To compliment his muscular frame, Darius possesses tremendous levels of physical might that is greatly held back by concious decision as to not cause involuntary damage to others and his surroundings when fighting. Even while mentally restrained, he can lift a grown man of equal size with a single arm off the ground and fling them through the air as if they were a ragdoll. He can support huge weights, such as slabs of stone or wooden trunks with little signs of visible effort, or grab a horse drawn carriage and pull it down to the ground in a single action. Combined with his fighting style, Darius can inflict great amounts of damage, either breaking his opponents or sending them away from the sheer force. This an also apply to structures or objects, splintering wooden doors or shattering rocks with a single punch. Though it can appear quite brutish, the physical applications of his strength results in heavy damage to his opponents and his surroundings, sometimes using his entire body by ramming into his targets. When being struck by a steady stream of magical energy, he uses his brute strength to step through the attack as continues to asail him, before reaching his target and clasping his iron like hands around the heads or necks of his opponents. Leaping into the air and coming down on his opponents is also another method in using his strength, using his augmented leg muscles to slam down on targets or kick them with bone shattering force. As the patriarch, Darius is also regarded the strongest within his family, with none questioning that status in direct combat. Immense Durability & Endurance: Hardened by decades of combat, Darius can withstand incredible amounts of punishment without any visible signs of damage. This extends to both conventional and magical means. He can seemingly shrug off direct hits, letting the attacks bounce off of him as he charges his opponent. His durability also allows him to withstand extreme temperatures, such as those generated by magical spells. Only individuals with extraordinary levels of strength could ever manage to injure him by offsetting the level of durability he possesses. Darius has even conciously chosen to block an attack head on because they were no match for his defense. While the armor he wears does provide some protection, his durability is mainly from his own body, able to absorb blunt damage much more efficiently than others. Even against sharp weapons or projectiles, his body appears dense enough to slow them if they were to pierce his skin, resulting in a less lethal attack. This durability also extends to an ability to soften the pain of such blows, resulting in either not feeling any form of discomfort or wincing from them. Shrugging off such attacks can also be used as a means of lowering the morale of his enemies, and he's been regarded as a true monster on the field, walking through attacks as they detonate against him. Immense Speed & Reflexes: Even for a man of his age, Darius can move deceivingly fast, to the point that it can be difficult to follow with the naked eye. During these moments of extreme speed, he'll appear as a blur, appearing instantly in different places to disorient his opponents before ultimately striking down his intended targets. This level of speed also applies to an increased dodging ability, even against close attacks, and avoid them with perfect ease. With such speed, Darius is equally impressive with his reflexes, able to instinctively bat away attacks directed at him, while dodging or parrying others from multiple directions. This means he can easily fight against a single or multiple targets, using his incredible fighting ability to disarm them, render them unconcious or eliminate if they require such measures. Even with his speed, he shows surprising agility and nimbleness, able to quickly readjust himself in midair and land safely on his feet. This helps when dodging attacks quickly and often require a more reflexive movement. Master Combatant: Enduring rigourous physical training and grueling hours in intensive fighting, Darius is the most experienced combatant in all of Rixa. Because he has trained extensively during his military career, Darius has developed a fighting style all his own. Considered a master in both armed and unarmed combat, his fighting style is considered power focused, delivering crushing blows with precision. But alongside his physical might, his attacks have also proven to be quite fast, maintaining a perfect balance between the two physical aspects. He utilizes his entire body to attack with, incorporating elbows, knee strikes, shoulder charges and even headbutts to inflict damage with. And because of his strength, he can also execute mighty throws while using an opponent's momentum to lead it. Darius is experienced in joint locking techniques if he wishes to restrain his opponent instead of simply rendering them unconcious. Using his magics in conjunction with his combat skills create extremely powerful attacks, as evident with Zander and Crow's fighting styles, and given that other aspects of his magic create weapons, demonstrates a skillful hand in wielding them. Aside from his unarmed combat experience, Darius is equally impressive in wielding a weapon, whatever it may be. From swords, to halberds, to battleaxes, there doesn't seem like there is anything that Darius does not have some familiarity with. He skills in combat prove high enough that he's confident in dealing with any of his children in combat, even being able to take on two of them at the same time if need be. Mental Abilities High Intelligence: '''Darius is a firm believer that a strong body should come with a strong mind and has proven to be a very intelligent man. Well educated and articulate, he's quite knowledgeable in several scholarly subjects, including mathematics, science, geography, politics and history. He attributes his intelligence to a very natural process of absorbing and retaining large amounts of information with ease. During his time in school, he received high marks in all of his classes and graduated top of his class before joining the military. Its rare for him to not have some knowledge in any political or social subject, and his intelligence also extends to the fields of magic. As a mage himself, he studied countless hours in the use of magic, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, so that he could remain at an advantage against the enemies he faced. '''Master Strategist & Tactician: '''It took not time at all from the time Darius enlisted to commanding his own platoon and has been marked as having a brilliant strategic mind that no other has since been able to duplicate in Rixa. Not only could he effectively lead his troops through dedication and respect, but he could develop the proper plans to ensure their survival on the field, minimizing any form of casualties. Even if those plans were to be compromised by outside variables or sudden changes, he could quickly adapt, adjust his strategy and rally his troops before they were overrun. He inspires confidence in his men and they follow him without question, marking exceptional leadership skills. Through his help, he was able to neutralize threats from warring nations, devise plans to gain victory, overthrow a corrupt government and establish a new regime that has brought about peace and prosperity to Rixa over the last decade. Few would dare challenge him on the battlefield, and if those who do were proven to either be too stupid or too cocky to understand the full might behind Darius. Magical Abilities '''Master Magician: Ever since he was young, Darius has always shown tremendous skill in wielding magical energy to the point he was unrivaled within the city of Rixa. Constantly training, he's shown amazing control and focus in regards to casting spells and controlling his own power. Though primarily a fire mage, he's quite knowledgeable in other magics, common and uncommon, in their use and execution. Because his magic offers great versatility, he's able to wield their different properties with considerable skill. Among all the Isdals, Darius is undoubtedly the most experienced mage within the family, and still remains the most powerful in Rixa. Immense Magical Power: A person will immediately be overcome by Darius's magical power once they stand in his presence, and this is without him venting it or exerting it in any manner. His level of power is classified as truly monstrous, with others questioning if Darius is entirely human with the sheer volume of energy at his disposal. When venting it in any visible way, or releasing it through his rare moments of emotional outbursts, Darius's aura is very much like the magic he wields. It is represented by a pillar of intense flames, primarily orange and yellow as normal fire would be, though when using his Prism Flare, the flames will change according to the color flame he's wielding at the time. His aura will also gain the properties of those magics, as well. But if his aura is fueled by anger or frustration, it will explode all around him, releasing a powerful shockwave that is capable to knocking back entire groups or squads on the battlefield, creating explosions and sending debris into the air. He's shown great control over his own magical power, applying it as a tool in combat. When surrounded by multiple targets or when numerous targets are coming down on him from above, he'll release his power and blow his enemies away with the force. Darius can also use his magical power to lessen the damage of attacks by creating a potent aura around him. This also attributes to his already impressive durability. Prism Flare Prism Flare (プリズムフレア, Purizumu Furea) Like Rainbow Fire, Prism Flare commands a multicolored flame with each color having a specific property or effect. Though this is where the similarities between the two magics end. Prism Flare commands the powerful Flare magic, known highly for its ability to switch between gaseous and solid forms, while still retaining its very explosive nature. The sons of Isdal each command a specific color of Flare magic taught by Darius himself. For instance, he commands the same blue fire as Zander, the red fire of Crow, as well as the other colors of this magic. As the originator of this magic, he commands it with the most mastery of all his children. Therefore, his spells are much more powerful and focused. The known effects of his different colors are known as: Blue Flare burning much hotter than the other Flares, Red Flare being highly explosive and malleable, Green Flare possessing corrosive qualities like acid, Orange Flare generating sharp constructs that simultaneously burn and slice through objects, and Yellow Flare that's much more a gaseous mass that spreads like napalm when it hits a surface. Its safe assume that Darius knows all spells that his sons employ, though there can be the possibility that they've created new ones that he has yet seen. As with all the spells of his children, Prism Flare can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes, and given Darius's staggering level of power, they can be quite frightening when he unleashes their full might. He's also known to be able to combine two flares in the middle of combat to create new spells when needed. Its not uncommon for him to wield one flare in one hand and a different one in another. He can also unleash a single destructive spell with all the colors of Flare combined, producing something that possesses all the qualities of their distinctive nature. *'Blue Flare' (ブルーフレア, Burū Furea) The same magic Zander wields, Blue Flare is a type of Fire Magic that burns with pure blue color and is known as being much hotter than the others, easily capable of reducing wood to complete ash and melting metal in seconds. While Zander is gifted mage, Darius is able to use this magic much more efficiently, producing grander spells of higher power. Like his son, this magic remains primarily in its gaseous form, with a few spells having some form of binding element to it. With his level of experience, Darius can utilize his magic for long ranged combat, casting powerful spells from a distance, or combining it with his hand-to-hand fighting to increase the damage of his blows. While Zander's spells are snake themed, Darius's are not, though they do produce similar effects. *'Red Flare' (レッドフレア, Reddo Furea) The same magic that Crow is famous for, Red Flare is a type of Fire Magic that burns with a blood red color and is known to possess some form of molding ability by switching between a gaseous and solid form. Another aspect of this Flare is that it cannot be extinguished by water or wind, often leading its flames to simply burn themselves out when no other combustible materials are present. Darius and Crow seem to possess nearly the same level of skill in manipulating these flames, making Crow the strongest son within the family, and the only member who could possibly challenge Darius in single combat. Like Crow, Darius can produce solid constructs made of these flames, but also cause them to explode though mental command. Darius has stated that of all the Flares at his command, Red Flare is considered the most powerful. *'Orange Flare' ( オレンジフレア, Orenji Furea) This magic magic is the same of his son, Zabel, and is a type of Fire Magic that allows the user to create solid weapons constructed from orange flames. With their ability to remain solid, Orange Flare can both slice and burn targets when these weapons are directed at them. Darius can either produce these constructs in midair, attacking through mental command and from afar, or he can produce them in his hands while remaining completely unharmed and attack up close. These weapons can be of anything he wishes, though they're mainly represented as bladed or blunt ones. Darius often create weapons that have a mideval theme, such as broadswords, halberds or even maces, but can also produce spikes to simply skewer his opponents. *'Yellow Flare' (イエローフレア, Ierō Furea) A magic that his son, Xero, wields, Yellow Flare is a type of Fire Magic that produces intense yellow flames that remain in its gaseous form primarily, usually represented as a mass above the user's hand. When attacking with these flames, they possess the ability to spread much more than the other Flares, allowing Darius to cover a larger area to continuously burn. It can be extinguished by wind or water, but must be of magical means to cancel this Flare out. Xero prefers to call this Flare, Gold Flare (ゴールドフレア, Gōrudo Furea), simply because it sounds cooler, but Darius labels it by its original name. Of all the Flares, Yellow Flare seems to be the least creative in terms of spells as most of them are simply orbs of various sizes. *'Green Flare' (グリーンフレア, Gurīn Furea) This magic is the same as the one his youngest son, Zane, wields and possesses the unique ability to disolve material rather burn it. This is because the green flames that Green Flare produces has a corossive effect similar to acid that will instantly break down matter, organic and inorganic, as if acid were dumped on it. The magic itself appears more like burning petrol, green in color, and will instantly begin disolving anything it touches. Things of magical nature or a particular thickness can prove more durable against such a magic, but repeated attempts to the same target will more than likely lead to its inevitable destruction. Stats Coming Soon. Trivia *Darius's appearance is based off of the Zero Clone from King of Fighters.